The mandatory hotel quarantine system in Ireland is over, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has announced.
The final states have been removed from the list of states from where travellers arriving into the country must complete a hotel quarantine.
The system has been scaled down in recent months in line with the Government's revised approach to international travel, the success of the vaccine rollout and the evolution of the pandemic internationally.
However travellers must still abide by the relevant travel regulations including the requirement to have a pre-travel PCR test unless in possession of proof of vaccination or recovery, and the requirements relating to home-based quarantine.
Travellers are also required to complete a passenger locator form prior to their arrival to Ireland.
Mr Donnelly said the hotel quarantine system was introduced as an "exceptional public health measure" at a time of "very serious risk of importation of variants of concern that had the potential to overwhelm the health service".
"The logistics involved with the implementation of this system were many and complex," he said.
"The policy was led by officials in my own department with significant support and input from officials across a number of departments and state bodies.
"I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of those who worked diligently to ensure the system operated smoothly and provided an appropriate level of care to those completing their period of quarantine.
"At the peak of the system's operation, some 60 states were designated and the greatest number of persons in MHQ at one time reached 1,008 on 9 May 2021.
"The successful operation of MHQ has played a central role in protecting the population, maintaining control of the disease and enabling the safe relaxation of restrictions on our economy and society.
"Finally, I would like to thank the over 10,000 people who completed their period of quarantine in a designated facility and the many thousands more who completed home quarantine in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from the risk of severe illness and death from Covid-19."
A further 1,335 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, there were 282 Covid positive patients in hospital, of whom 65 were in intensive care.
